WEBVTT
ARE RENEWING THEIR CALL
FOR CROSSING GUARDS.
REPORTER: WE'VE BEEN TALKING
HERE AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL WITH
SOME RELATIVES OF THE GIRL.
THEY TELL US OFF CAMERA THAT
SHE'S BEEN IN INTENSIVE CARE.
THEY HAVE CONCERNS SHE MAY HAVE
SUFFERED BRAIN TRAUMA.
HER HOMETOWN OF CLAIRTON FOR
YEARS HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO
AFFORD TO HAVE SCHOOL CROSSING
GUARDS ON THE CORNERS.
HERE IN THIS CROSSWALK WERE
CLAIRTON SCHOOL KIDS A BLOCK
FROM HER HOME, IN SIGHT OF HER
SCHOOL.
THE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SCHOOL GIRL
WAS HIT BY A DRIVER WHO DID NOT
STOP.
>> I HEARD SOMEBODY HOLLERING
AND SCREAMING AFTER THEY HIT
HER.
REPORTER: THERE WAS COMMOTION
HERE AT THE CORNER OF ST. CLAIRE
AND 5th DRAWING NEIGHBORS AS
POLICE CARS AND AMBULANCES
RUSHED HERE.
>> I HAPPENED TO PUT MY SHOES
ONTO GO OUT THERE AND THEY WERE
LIKE, OH MAN THEY HIT THE BABY
AND RAN.
I'M LIKE, WHAT?
THEY HIT THE BABY AND RAN?
HIT-AND-RUN?
REPORTER: POLICE CONFIRMED THE
DRIVER DID NOT STOP, AND THEY
ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY HIM OR
HER BUT RELEASING NOTHING OF THE
VEHICLE THAT HIT THE CHILD HERE.
THE CORNER IS WELL MARKED WITH
SIGNAL CHANGING CONTROLS FOR
PEDESTRIANS, BUT THE
FINANCIALLY-PRESSED SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF
CLAIRTON HAVEN'T HAD CROSSING
GUARD HERE FOR YEARS.
>> CURRENTLY WE ARE WORKING WITH
THE CITY TO GET AT LEAST THREE
CROSSING GUARDS TO TRY TO FIND
FUNDING FOR THAT AND WORK
TOGETHER TO GET THAT ALL
TOGETHER.
REPORTER: CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
WON'T RELEASE INFORMATION BUT
RELATIVES SAY THE GIRL IS IN ICU
WITH A POSSIBLE BRAIN INJURY.
COUNSELORS WILL BE AT THE
EDUCATION CENTER FOR KID
TRAUMATIZED BY WHAT HAPPENED,
FOR WHAT SOME SAW HERE.
>> WE ARE KEEPING HER IN OUR
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND HOPING
FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY.
REPORTER: AT THE FAMILY'S
REQUEST CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS
NOT RELEASING ANY UPDATES ON THE
CONDITION OF THE LITTLE GIRL.

A 7-year-old schoolgirl from Clairton was hospitalized Thursday after being struck in a crosswalk by a hit-and-run driver. At the family’s request, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is not releasing information on the girl’s condition.

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The child was injured shortly before 8 in the morning as she was crossing at the corner of Saint Clair Avenue and Fifth Street, just a block from her home, and in sight of her school, Clairton Education Center, where she is an elementary student. The City of Clairton and the Clairton City School District, which both face economic challenges, have not had school crossing guards for several years, but are seeking funding to restore them.

"I heard somebody hollering and screaming after they hit her, and I know the family, I know everybody," said Lorenzo Hester, of Clairton. "And I’m upset about it because somebody should have been there and it wouldn’t have occurred."

"Currently we are working with the city to get at least three crossing guards -- to try to find funding for that -- and work together to get that all together," said Alexis Trubiani, a spokeswoman for the Clairton City Schools.

Clairton Police Chief Robert Hoffman confirmed to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that the driver did not stop. So far, police have not released a description of the vehicle.

"I put on my shoes to go out there and they was like, ’They hit the baby and ran,’" said Hester. "I’m like, what? They hit the baby and ran? Hit-and-run?"

The corner is well-marked with signal-changing controls for pedestrians. Police would not discuss the speed of the vehicle or whether the signals favored either the driver or the child.

While Children’s Hospital has not released information on the girl’s condition, some relatives told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that the child was in the intensive care unit and was being treated for a possible brain injury.

Counselors will be at the Clairton Education Center on Friday for any students who have been traumatized by what happened. Relatives said some children saw the girl being hit by the driver.

"We are in contact with the family. Our superintendent and myself went to Children’s Hospital, and we are just keeping them in our thoughts and prayers and hoping for a speedy recovery," Trubiani told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.